When I made my weekly stop at the fish store I was immediately struck by a pair of brightly colored fish swimming actively in a tank of guppies. Their backs were dotted with tiny jewels and their colors were absolutely exquisite. I could tell by their body shape they were cichlids, which are notoriously aggressive to fish of other species. But I still asked about them, since they were apparently doing just fine with the guppies.
It turns out these were Blue Ram Cichlids. They are a kind of dwarf cichlid, which will never grow past about 1.5 inches long. They are also extremely docile and friendly fish. They like hiding in plants and sometimes swim along in schools of other fish. I never knew any kind of cichlid could get along with other fish but I have proof right in my tank. The guy at the fish store told me they're called Ram cichlids because the males butt heads like rams. I ended up getting a male and female. They are mouth breeders, which means they will hide the baby fish in their mouths to protect them. It's a strange way to take care of your offspring, but it seems to work well to protect against predators.


Every man dies, but few truly live. Live your life to its fullest, every day as if it were your last.